Detergent dispenser



, April 28, 1953 F. T. HILLIKER DETERGENT DISPENSER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1Filed May 28, 1949 INVENTOR FRANK T. HILUKER ATTO RNEY F. r. HILLI KERDETERGENT DISPENSER April 28, 1953 Filed Ma 28. 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2FIG. 4.

INVENTOR FRANK T. HILLIKER ATTORNEY as a dishwasher or the like.

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNII ED STATES OFFICE 3,636,593 DET RGE ISPENSERFrank T. Hillikcr, St. Louis, Mo, Application Ma 12 43, Serial, Nolfii'lfi 3 Claims.

' This invention relates in general to certain new and usefulimprovements in detergent dispensers.

In various types of commercial washing machines, such as dishwashingequipment commonly used in restaurants, laundry apparatus, and the like,the washing operations are carried out automatically, but it hasgenerally been considered necessary to introduce detergent material,such as trisodium phosphate. powdered soap, or synthetic surface-activeagent, into the machine by hand. With the increasing use ofcomparatively extensive synthetic detergents, hand measuring procedureis extremely costly and wasteful in ad dition to being unreliable andcreatin unnecessary labor cost by reason of requiring comparativelyclose attendance of an operator.

It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present inventionto provide a dispenser for discharging granular, pulverulant, orpowdered materials into a soap-consuming machine, such It is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the typestated which is simple and economical in construction and is fullyautomatic in operation.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide adispenser of the type stated which will feed detergent material inmeasured proportion to the influx of fresh water into thedetergent-consuming machine.

it is also an object of the present invention to provide a detergentdispensing device which will not become clogged in use and in which thegranu-.- lar, pulverulant, or powdered detergent material will not bedampened or otherwise adversely affected by moisture or water vapor fromthe detergent-consuming machine with which the dispenser is associated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenserof the type stated which may be regulated to permit the discharge of anamount of detergent proportionate to the amount of water entering themachine whereby the dispenser may be eiiiciently utilized without regardto line pressure of the water.

'It is an additional object of the present inven, tion to provide adispenser of the type stated which is fabricated of relatively 'fewparts, thereby achieving economy in manufacture and simplicity ininstallation.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination ofparts presently d s i d a d p int d out in th claims.

n the accompanyi g drawings itw sheets) Figure is a persp ctiv view f ad t r e t dispenser onstru ted in ac rda c with and mbodyi-ng thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a t ans ers ectiona e ak along line 1-2 of Figure 1;

li'lgures 3, i, and ii are transverse sectional views taken along lines3-3, 4-4, and 5.-..5, rep p ctively, of Figu e Figure 6 is a transversesectional View taken o g l n 6- i ure 'l; and

F gure 7 i a ra e se se na view taken along line 'I-'! of Figure 2.

R er g now i o e d ta and b reference characters to the drawings. whichillustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invn ltion, A d s na aonve tional type of d sh wash ng mach e an B de gna es a po dered r gr ut d de erg n d pen er om r si g a cylindrica c n ain r I hav ng a .r mcabl 't c 2, said con a ne I b g d sp sed u a onical h pp r .3 the wa l 4of wh ch con e ge do nweirdly n o a n k p ti n 5 terminatin spaced! v boe th p sur ace f th cl sh shin machine A. integrally formed with onesection or the neck portion 5 and depending therefrom a transverselyextending wall member 6, the lat-leral margins of which are integralwith outward 1y projecting pa l e s d walls lone their upper ma g ns, eside Wal 1, 1. are intee al wi h the wall 4 cf he o p r '3 and are ntgra ly connected at he upper ends by a transvers os 8 ic mcd. up n h wal'l t hopper 3. The wall member 6 and the sidewalls "l, 7, with theirlower margins resting upon the upper s r of the dis washin mach A} Prove a h usi 8 h h ay be c cl scdty plate I- 0 removably disposed upon andextend: mg between the outer margins "of the side walls 1, 1 and beingsecured by bolts I! extending through suitable aligned apertures in theplate In and he o Th l w r end c the are t when in lo ureen ng p s o tnds into a s ot 2 c mcd b t e ou r ma ns of the sidewalls 1, 1!, and atransverse wall: l y [3 of a support bracket or casting l4 having sidewalls [5 l5, which supportingly abut against the lower portions of theside walls 1, 7*, or the housing 9 and are secured thereto by screws l6and an inner wall section I! abutting surfacewise against the transversewall 6.

Suitably mounted within the housing 9 is an electric motor l8 havingashaft l9 projecting m a d y nto the ne Pc t cn o the hoppe 3 th oughaligned apertures 20, 2!, in the neck. po tion .5 and vert cally extening sc ticn 122 ci a boss .23. integrally termed with the hopper ction 33, having its upper wall 24 continuous with the wall 4 of the hopper 3and being provided with a weight-reducing recess 25. Secured forrotation with the shaft 25 by a pin 25 is the diametrally reduced end ofa hexagonal feeder member 21 which projects across the area between theboss 23 and the diametrally opposite section of the neck portion 5. Atits other end, the feeder 21 is provided with an inwardly extendingthreaded recess 28 for receiving the diametrally reduced end of a screw29 which projects outwardly through an aperture 38 in the neck portionin alignment with the apertures 20, 2|. Integral with the lower marginof the neck portion 5 is an inwardly extendingarcuate flange 3| whichthus restricts the opening or discharge orifice 32 at the lower endofthe hopper 3. Swingably disposed beneath the orifice 32 is aflow-metering plate 33 having a forwardly presented cut-ofi edge 34 andbeing pivoted upon a screw 35,which is threaded upwardly into a boss 35integrally depending from the wall 4 of the hopper 3. It is thus to beseen that, upon swinging of the plate 33, the effective opening of theorifice 32 may be regulated for permitting desired amounts of thedetergent to flow therethrough.

The electric motor I8 is connected by an electric cable 3'! in parallelwith a solenoid stop valve 38 positioned preferably upon the top sur-"face of the dishwashing machine A adjacent the 4 floor 42' thereof.Extending diametrally across the upper end of the passage 53 is anintegral filament 55 supporting a small sleeve 56 located co-axiallywithin the passage 53 for receiving the rod-like leg 5'1 of anumbrella-like trap plate 58. When the plate 58 rests upon the sleeve 55.its peripheral margin will extend down into the annular basin 42 inupwardly spaced relation to the floor 42 thereof, as best seen in Figure2 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In operation, with the solenoid stop valve 38 in open position, water isdischarged into the for example, if it is desired to control the watertaneously, the electric motor 18 will be energized,

thereby rotating the feeder member 21 and causing detergent to bedischarged from the hopper 3 through the orifice 32.

j Detergent thus discharged descends into an annular'basin 42 having adishedfioor 42' provided in an inwardly projecting rounded portion ofthe casting l4. Adjacent said basin 42, the casting I4 is provided witha boss-like portion 43 having a passage 44 for projection therethroughof a flexible bleed-line 45, which, at its inner end, is diametrallyreduced and projects tangentially into the basin 42 and at its other orouter end is connected to the water line 33, as at 46. The boss-likeportion 43 of the casting 14 is further provided with an internallythreaded passage 41 to receive an adjusting screw 48' having a nut 48'and abutting at its inner end against the flexible bleed-line 45 forrestricting the flow of water therethrough for reasons appearing morefully hereinafter.

Z Integral with and depending from the basin 42-is"an externallythreaded stem 49 extending downwardly through an aperture 50 in the topsurface ofthe dishwashing machine A and having disposed therearound awasher 5| held abuttingly against the underface oi the top of themachine A by a nut 52. The stem 49 is provided with an axial passage 53for conducting detergent and water to the interior of themachine A, saidpassage 53 opening at, its upper end in the basin 42-throug-h acentrally elevatedportion 54 of the machine A and a portion thereof willpass through the bleed-line 45 into the basin 42, creating a moderateturbulency therein as a result of the tangency of the axis of the line45 to the basin 42. Water so entering the basin 42 will cover the floor42 thereof and overflow downwardly through the passage 53 of the stem49. Detergent discharged from the orifice 32 will fall upon the uppersurface of the plate 58 of the trap 56 and be sluiced downwardly throughthe passage 53 by the water issuing from the line 45 for ultimateadmixture with the fresh water entering the machine A. When the flow ofwater is cut off through closure of the valve 38, the flow of waterthrough the bleed-line 45 will also stop and the motor l8 will ceaserotating, so that dispensing action will concurrently stop. Because ofthe unique shape of the basin 42, sufiicient water will remain thereinto cover the lower margin of the plate 58, thereby forming a trap toprevent upward escape of moisture, vapor, or steam from the dishwashingmachine A through the passage 53. The plate 58 of the trap member 56thus acts as a shield between the incoming detergent and any vapors asmight escape from the machine A, thereby efiectively preventing theformation of any clogging mass of detergent.

In the event the amount of water passing through the line 45 into thebasin 42 should be excessive, as where the source of water is under highpressure, the adjustment screw 48 may be threaded inwardly to compressthe flexible sides of the bleed-line 45 for restricting the flowtherethrough.

Since the amount of water per unit of time discharged into the machine Athrough the line 49 is dependent upon the particular pressure at thesource, it is necessary to regulate the flow of detergent through theorifice 32 in order thatv the proportion of detergent to the quantity ofwater he maintained at any predetermined ratio. The plate 33 mayaccordingly be rotated to limit the eifec'tive opening of the orifice32, so that the requisite amount of detergent will be discharged. Todetermine whether the desired amount of detergent is entering themachine A, various socalled dry runs may be made with the plate 33 atdifferent settings. Thus, the wash water in the machine A will at alltimes have the proper amount of detergent therein regardless of theparticular line pressure of the water and coincidentally effect amaximum economy of detergent. Finally, the water issuing from thebleedline 45, to sluice the detergent into the machine A, preliminarilywets the detergent so as to start the proces of dissolution, therebymaterially accelerating the rate at which the detergent goes intosolution when it reaches the main body of water in the machine A, andeffecting great economy in terms of detergent-consumption.

It should be understood that changes and 0 modifications in the form,construction, arrange-' ment, and combination of the several parts ofthe detergent dispenser may be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without departing from the nature and principle ofmy invention.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. For use with a machine having a substantially closed chamber in whichwashing operations may be carried out, a detergent dispenser comprisinga hopper mounted exteriorly of said chamber so to be substantiallyunaliected by the steam, spray, and other moisture laden fumes withinthe chamber, said hopper being provided with a: discharge aperture andmeans for ejecting detergent through the discharge aperture, adishlil-ze receptacle disposed in downwardly spaced relation to thedischarge aperture and having a central discharge spout openingdownwardly into the chamber, said dish being provided around said spoutwith an annular depressed channel the upper level of which isapproximately flush with the uppermost portion of the spout so that whenliquid is charged into said channel the liquid will only discharge intothe spout when it rises "above said level, a canopy-like element mountedacross and in upwardly spaced relation to the discharge spout and havinga continuous peripheral margin which projects downwardly into saidchannel substantially below the upper liquid level thereof so as to forma trap preventing escape through the spout or" steam, spray, andmoisture laden fumes from the interior of the chamber, and means forintroducing a stream of liquid into the bottom of said channel forflushing out the detergent deposited therein.

2. For use with a machine having a substantially closed chamber in whichwashing operations may be carried out, a detergent dispenser comprisinga hopper mounted exteriorly of said chamber so as to be substantiallyunaffected by the steam, spray, and other moisture laden fumes withinthe chamber, said hopper being provided with a discharge aperture andmeans for ejecting detergent through the discharge aperture, a dish-likereceptacle disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the dischargeaperture and having a central discharge spout opening downwardly intothe chamber, said dish being provided around said spout with an annulardepressed channel the upper level of which is approximately flush withthe uppermost portion of the spout so that when liquid is charged intosaid channel the liquid will only discharge into the spout when it risesabove said level, a canopy-like element mounted across and in upwardlyspaced relation to the discharge spout and having a continuousperipheral margin which projects downwardly into said channelsubstantially below the upper liquid level thereof so as to form a trappreventing escape through 6 the spout of steam, spray, and moistureladen fumes from the interior of the chamber, and means for introducinga stream of liquid tangentially into the bottom of said channel forflushing out the detergent deposited therein.

3. For use with a machine having a substantially closed chamber in whichwashing operations may be carried out, a detergent dispenser comprisinga hopper mounted exteriorly of said chamber so as to be substantiallyunafiected by the steam, spray, and other moisture laden fumes withinthe chamber, said hopper being provided with a discharge aperture andmeans for ejecting detergent through the discharge aperture, a dish-likereceptacle disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the dischargeaperture and having a central discharge spout opening downwardly intothe chamber, said dish being provided around said spout with an annulardepressed channel the upper level of which is approximately flush withthe uppermost portion of the spout so that when liquid is charged intosaid channel the liquid will only discharge into the spout when it risesabove said level, a canopy-like element mounted across and in upwardlyspaced relation to the discharge spout and having a continuousperipheral margin which projects downwardly into said channelsubstantially below the upper liquid level thereof so as to form a trappreventing escape through the spout of steam, spray, and moisture ladenfumes from the interior of the chamber, and-means for introducing astream of liquid tangentially into the bottom of said channel forflushing out the detergent deposited therein, the outer side walls ofsaid receptacle being substantially higher than the uppermost level ofthe canopy-like element so that the whirling stream of liquid whichcirculates around the channel from the tangential input means can ilowupwardly and circulate near the top of the canopy-like element to ilushthe detergent cleanly therefrom.

FRANK T. HILLIKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS VNumber Name Date 574,156 Lippincott Dec. 29, 1896 868,848 Davis Oct. 22,1907 1,452,710 Schmelzer Apr. 24, 1923 1,879,101 Coleman Sept. 27, 19322,062,704 Forsyth Dec. 1, 1936 2,162,228 Peirce June 13, 1939 2,197,602Walcott et a1 Apr. 16, 1940 2,228,914 Pierce Jan. 14, 1941 2,254,269Clark et al. Sept. 2, 1941 2,382,648 Martin Aug. 14, 1945 2,503,878 LinnApr. 11, 1950

